The Silver Bullet

'My Happiest Moment'

Schmidt never saw himself being this involved in the 2008 race, and in fact, he thought he'd be back in California by now, back at his job as a partner in Mercury Public Affairs, a political and communication consulting firm. When McCain's operation imploded a year ago, he and Schmidt talked regularly by phone. But things looked grim. For most of the past year, Schmidt was an unpaid volunteer, only recently drawing a salary from the campaign.

He says he stayed around because of his affection for McCain, because he could not leave something midstream and because he believes McCain can win.

But he is unequivocal about his future in running campaigns: This is his last.

"The Internet has created a wave of venom that is very disturbing," he says of the e-mails and calls he receives. "People who run these campaigns have become targets very directly. Who needs it?

"My happiest moment is when the plane lands in San Francisco and you have lowered enough to see the rolling green hills of Northern California," he says, "and there is a level of happiness and joy that overcomes me. That is mirrored by the exact opposite emotion when I can see the approach to Dulles."